A design printed on a film of material for subsequent transfer onto a surface of a second material is known in the art as a decalcomania (decal). Each decal is fabricated using materials such as certain plastics or specially prepared paper. These materials typically serve as the underlying film (decal film) on which the design is desired to be printed onto. Upon completion of the fabrication process, the decal (now a combination of the design and the decal film)is applied onto the surface of a second material by various methods, such as thermally heating the decal to bond it to the surface of the second material.
Also known in the art is the fabrication of an electrically conductive pattern on a non-conductive material (substrate). This fabrication technique is commonly known as printed circuit technology. The final product of such a process may be a printed circuit board or a printed circuit strip. Typically, copper is used as the material for the conductive pattern, while the substrate material is some type of plastic laminate (such as FR-4 plastic). The substrate provides a physical backing onto which the conductive layer is plated as a layer. (The substrate also provides some electrical properties that are not relevant to this application and will not be discussed.) Plating of the conductive layer onto the substrate is generally done by a process known as chemical electroplating.
Molded devices plated with a conductive circuit pattern are also known in the art. These molded devices are typically formed using certain plastics. Unlike printed circuit boards or films (which are substantially planar), molded devices can be single-sided three dimensional or double-sided three dimensional in structure. Using a similar process as that used above for printed circuit technology, the conductive pattern is plated onto the surfaces of the molded device.
These technologies suffer a number of limitations. For instance, the performance of printed circuits is impaired or degraded when the material forming the conductive pattern is unintentionally scratched or removed, as for example, by abrasive forces. This unintended removal of the conductive pattern is further compounded by a weak bond between the conductive layer and the substrate. Another limitation of the above technologies is the cost involved in chemically plating the conductive layer onto the substrate. The plating process requires a significant amount of space (for the many tanks of chemicals required) and time (hours of soaking the printed circuit films or boards in the chemical baths before plating is completed).
Therefore, a need exists for a method to substantially overcome the limitations stated above. In particular, a plating process that ensures a stronger bond between the conductive pattern and the substrate is highly desired. In addition, the plating process should reduce the requirements of space, time, and materials, in order to provide a more economical alternative to the existing process.